New Scoutie Girl Post

I'm on Scoutie Girl this week, where I talk about goals, pushing, and puttering. Bottom line: it's all good.

Read it here.

On Meaningful Work, Reality Gaps and Divine Timing...

a product of therapeutic camera play, a perfect antidote to gap-induced grumpiness

When it comes to my journey to meaningful and viable work, I am not where I want to be.

Let me clarify: I'm extremely excited and proud of the products and services I offer and the ones I have in the development queue as I type (seriously, LOVE them!). From a fulfillment perspective, I consider my ongoing journey to meaningful work a success.

In conjunction, my desire for meaningful work includes its ability to support me financially. I seek a certain level of comfort and lifestyle, and, in order to consider my journey to meaningful work an overall success, it needs to support that too.

My leave from my former 9-5 gig ends soon, and I must consider my options. I have bills to pay. This is my reality.

Thanks to the generosity of my former manager in offering me a one-year leave last year, I have a fairly obvious option available to me. Returning to my 9-5 job, even if for a few days a week, would ease my financial conundrum considerably. I am grateful.

I am also disappointed. The reality gap of wanting to be financially viable (or at least somewhere close) in my new work, but not being there yet, hurts. Yet, perhaps my expectations were not very realistic to begin with.

I am extremely proud of how far I've come this past year, and of the foundation I am laying every day in my journey to meaningful and financially rewarding work. Never before have I been so eager to get to work each morning. I feel blessed.

This fuels me to go on.

Despite my current reality gap, I still firmly believe that it is possible to do what you love and make a good living out of it; I have no plans of giving up on that. What I'm learning though, is that it may not be on my schedule.

In the meantime, may the journey continue...

Photo Pause: Prince Edward Island, Day 1

While we were visiting Mom & Dad on the east coast, D. and I took a few days for an overnighter to Prince Edward Island (PEI). We only explored one little corner of the Island, but already its soft and surprisingly varied landscape wooed us both, inviting us to explore it further.

Here are a few favourite photos from Day 1:

Confederation Bridge between New Brunswick and PEI,

seen from New Brunswick's Cape Jourimain Nature Centre.

(Note to self: next time allow more time to explore this wonderful centre and its hiking trails!)

We enjoyed lunch at the Landmark Cafe, in the beautiful (and tiny!) village of Victoria by the Sea. While we were there someone brought in the morning catch, fresh off the boat down the road, for the night's special. It doesn't get more local than that.

Canada's Smallest Library in Cardigan, PEI

Who knew? And could that view be any more cozy?

We discovered this gem of a beach by accident. It captured so many of the colours typical to PEI's landscape! A bonus? There were only three people on it, plus us.

 Still at the same little beach. I loved how the dune grasses created a rolling landscape,

and how the sun lit them against the dark skies ahead.

We spent about an hour there with our cameras.

 The view from our deck that evening. We ate Rick's Fish & Chips and drank

local Gahan beer (both delicious!) while we watched the sun set.

We stayed at the Inn at St. Peters in St. Peter's Bay.

The main restaurant at the Inn at St. Peter's, against the twilight sky.

That night we sat on our deck and watched shooting stars. Magical.

Day 2 delights to come later...

Getting Out of My Head - And Onto the Canvas

a piece in progress, playing with paints & paper

I hadn't picked up a brush in about five or six weeks. Last night, after a bout of despair came forth at the kitchen table, my husband suggested that I paint. So I did.

How easy it is for me to forget how important time at the art table is to my self-care regime.

Much like my Basics, if I avoid the art table for an extended period of time, my spirit takes a downturn. My happy-coloured glasses quickly become multiple shades of gloomy and I wonder why. So when my husband suggested that I paint, I knew it was the right thing to do.

I'm two days into an unofficial 5-Day Challenge; I'm calling it unofficial because I'm approaching it with a softer stance than usual. I'm not in it to defeat resistance, which is my usual motive, I'm in it for self-care.

Five days in a row I will show up at the art table and let my intuition be my guide. There's no pressure to finish anything or produce anything specific, or even to report back here, as I usually do.

All I know is that it's time to get out of my head, and the easiest way for me to do that is by moving onto the canvas.

So I will.

~~~

What's your guaranteed self-care activity? You know, the one you always forget?

Post-vacation Re-entry + Latest Post on Scoutie Girl

I feel like my vacation was a blur, yet, my pre-vacation routine feels like it was forever ago. How is that?

I am slowly re-entering the realm of home and work after a full and rich vacation spent celebrating with family, discovering bits of Prince Edward Island with my husband, and taking in some familiar favourites like blueberry picking and stargazing on Mom & Dad's deck.

serendipitous beach find on Prince Edward Island

I even met an online friend in person for the first time and we gabbed as if we'd known each other all along!

It was full and fast. I am allowing myself a gentle re-entry. I suspect it will involve coffee, laundry, and maybe even a little art-making with these:

vintage papers my Mom used to line some dresser drawers,

they came back with me - and yes, I asked!

Until I work my way back up to my regular blogging routine here, I invite you to check out my latest post on Scoutie Girl that went up yesterday. Want some help in defeating resistance? Make it a game.